“Take the Lead” to protect livestock from dog attacks

With lambing season in full swing the Countryside Alliance is once again supporting Farmers Guardian’s Take the Lead campaign which is working to educate the public about the impact of dog attacks on livestock.

The latest research from Farmers Guardian shows attacks have continued to rise, with more than 2,000 attacks reported to police in the last two years.

The initiative, which urges people to keep their dogs on a lead when walking around farm animals, has been supported by leading farming and rural organisations including the National Sheep Association (NSA) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA).

More than 45,000 Take the Lead campaign signs warning walkers about the consequences of livestock worrying have been nailed to fence posts around Britain. Farmers Guardian said it remained committed to driving down the number of incidents and has been working with police to educate officers about the seriousness of the crime and its impact on farmers and the countryside.

The newspaper, which launched the campaign in 2014, is currently lobbying MPs to see the issue debated in Parliament and is calling for tougher penalties for owners whose dogs harm livestock.